Rapid multielement analysis of oyster and cockle tissue using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry,with application to reconnaissance marine pollution investigations

Forty-two elements in four standard reference materials and oyster and cockle tissue were analysed by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) method. Comparisons between certified values for standard reference materials and those of the authors indicate that XRF is suitable for determining Ba, Br, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr, and Zn in organic matrix. Results for As, Cd, Cr, and Ni indicate that XRF is not reliable when analysing within approximately 2 mg kg⁻¹ of the detection limits for these elements.XRF has been used to show that cockles accumulate Fe, Hg, I, Pb, Sr, Ti and Zn and oysters accumulate Cr, Cu, Fe, La, Ni, Ti, Yb, and Zn in moderately polluted areas. Values for As, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, Ti and Zn have been verified using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Whilst Hg was successfully determined, its limit of detection using XRF (9 mg kg⁻¹) is too high if results are to be compared with the commonly used health standard for Hg in edible marine biota (0.5 mg kg⁻¹ wet wt.). XRF has the capacity however to give an accurate linear response to a broad range of elements in approximately the 0–500 mg kg⁻¹ range and is sensitive to much higher values without further sample manipulation. Hence, XRF has potential to be employed more extensively than is presently the case for elemental monitoring in broad-ranging reconnaissance marine pollution studies.